UAE ready to host Expo, the world’s largest cultural event

Inayat-ur-Rahman, Gulf Today

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum praised the efforts of federal and local entities for their part in Expo Dubai 2020.

Sheikh Mohammed tweeted, “As part of the preparations for Expo Dubai 2020, 72 work teams from federal and local entities have completed a joint strategic exercise to simulate Expo next October.

“We can say that the UAE is 100 per cent ready for the largest cultural event in the world.”

World Expos are platforms for collaboration, innovation and inspiration, and Expo 2020 will welcome more than 200 participants and millions of visitors, bringing the world together in a spirit of hope and optimism to help shape a better, more sustainable future for all. From Oct.1, 2021 to  March 31,  2022, Expo 2020 Dubai will bring the world together in a spirit of hope and optimism and with a shared purpose towards solving some of our greatest challenges.

It will showcase the greatest innovations, breakthroughs and ideas from around the planet, enabling action towards a better world under its theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.

Expo 2020 will be an endless journey of discovery as more than 200 participants – including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses, and educational institutions, as well as millions of visitors – harness their collective power to change the world for the better.

Expo 2020’s sub-themes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability will inspire visitors to make a conscious effort to think and live differently.

 Expo 2020 Dubai has demonstrated that it is ready to fully open its doors to the world later this year, after safely and successfully welcoming more than 100,000 visitors to experience Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion.

Running from  Jan.22 until 10 April, the limited-time showcase was an opportunity for the UAE community to preview one of Expo 2020’s signature visitor experiences, providing a glimpse of what is to come when the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region welcomes visitors from around the world from  Oct.1 2021 to March 31, 2022.

Marjan Faraidooni, Chief Experience Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai said: “As we continue to navigate this period of unprecedented change, we are delighted to have offered the UAE community the chance to preview the Sustainability Pavilion, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to bringing the world together and finding answers to our most pressing challenges.

“Supported by our world-class partners, we have showcased our readiness to safely welcome the world and host a global event that not only excites and inspires, but also serves as a unique opportunity for humanity to come together in a spirit of optimism, hope and shared purpose.”

Terra’s emotive visitor experience uncovers the hidden harmful impacts of our personal choices and seeks to empower all who visit to become agents of change, consider how their behaviour impacts the environment and break the cycle of consumerism.

During the preview, a number of health and safety best practices - from social distancing and capacity controls to on-site rapid testing for staff and vendors - were incorporated across the site, aligned closely with the world’s leading medical authorities and scientific advice, to ensure the well-being of all involved.

According to Expo 2020’s Pavilions Premiere Satisfaction Survey, guests ranked on-site health and safety precautions above eight on a scale of one to nine, highlighting Expo’s readiness to safely host the world when it opens its doors on 1 October. Visitors were similarly impressed with the service and cleanliness of Expo Rider, a dedicated, free of charge, public bus service that ferried visitors between Dubai Mall and Expo 2020 every 30 minutes. Following their visit to Terra, more than 90 per cent of those surveyed also said they were inspired to change their behaviour, from saving water to making a conscious effort to use less plastic.

Throughout the three-month showcase, supported by Expo’s Official Partners and International Participants, Expo perfected a range of event-time systems and approaches to enhance and safeguard the visitor experience.

Gerardo Canta, Senior Managing Director at Accenture in the Middle East, said: “As the Digital Services Partner and Systems Integrator of Expo 2020, Accenture played an important role in delivering a safe, secure and successful preview of Terra. Alongside Etisalat Digital, Accenture applied best-in-class systems and combined multiple Expo 2020 technologies to create an intelligent, integrated and seamless visitor experience.”